eli@uw-beaver (Eli Messinger) (11/15/84)
I've yet to see any net.music traffic about NYC's latest sensations, The Washington Squares. The folk revival is finally about to kick into full swing. Named after a square in Greenwich Village, wearing black pants, shoes, sunglasses, goatees for the men and pearls for the woman, the 'Squares are something of a tribute to the beatnik image of the 50's-60's. Kind of in the Maynard G. Krebbs vein. Musically this trio is on the Peter, Paul and Mary path to folk rock stardom. They take a good chunk of their material from the classics... PP&M, The Limelighters, The Kingston Trio, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seger, Seekers, We Five, ... And they do an excellent, very believable job with it. They also perform original material that is very impressive. Last night at the I-Beam (in San Francisco) they played an incredible hour long show. Their beatnik trappings came of as a playful look back at the 60's. Not really serious, but not satirical either. It's more of a hook they use to get your attention. They've had Ginsberg and Peter Yarrow pop onto stage with them at various times (kind of like an endorsement I guess). Unfortunately they haven't released any records or tapes yet (there is a 4-song demo cassette finding its way to many college radio stations), so SEE THEM LIVE! I believe they flew back to NYC today, so no more West Coast shows for awhile... I can't remember the last time a new (new? hahahaha) band grabbed me this way! (I think it was the first time I heard the Violent Femmes playing "Blister in the Sun"). Be There. Aloha. ... uw-beaver!eli